Safety guard for clothes wringers



May 10, 1932. J. SCHAFFER- 1,857,876

SAFETY GUARD FOR CLO'f'HES WRINGERS Filed April 7, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invenior A tlorney May 10, 1932. J. SCHAFFER 1,357,376

SAFETY GUARD FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS Filed April 7, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jbhn Sch affer Z QMdd/Zi.

A tlorney May 10, 1932. J, SQHAFFER 1,857,876

SAFETY GUARD FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS 4 sheets-sheet s Filed April 7, 1931 20 Inventor 1757117 Schaffer Y A ilorney y 10, 1932- l J. SCHAFFER 8 ,8 6

SAFETY GUARD FOR CLOTHES WR-INGERS Filed April '7, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 In vent-pr (JO/2n ls'cl'zaffer J A llomey "l the following description, taken in connec- Patented May 10, 1932 UNITED ES FAT c1: f

JOHN SCHAFFER, or ennnnsrune, r-EnNsYLvAm-A sAFE'rY GLl'ARD Fort Application filed April 7,

This invention relates broadly to clothes wringers, having moreparticular reference to such types of clothes wringers as are used on electric washing machines, and the primary object of the invention is to providea safetyguard for the wringer.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a guard for disposition on either or both sides of the wringer and which is normally closed when thewringer is not in useso as to prevent possibility of the operator catching his or'her fingers between the rolls of the wringers.

A still further object-of the invention is to provide a guard of theabove mentioned character, which will be operable for uncovering the rollers ofthe'wringer when desired to useithe wringer. k

A still further object of the invention is to provide a guard of the above mentioned character including'means to facilitate feeding of the clothes to the wringer.

7 Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of tion with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a conventional wringer having my guard associated therewith. v I

Figure 2 is an end elevational view thereof.

Figure 3'is a perspective view of one end portion of a pivotally mounted tray: forming part of the invention. t

Figure 4 is a perspective view of said tray. Figure 5 is a verticalsectional elevational view taken-through theguard. I

Figure 6 is a fra mentary detail sectional elevational view ten substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 5. I 4 v Figure .7 isa perspective view of a'frame structure forming part of'the invention.

. Figure 8 is a perspective view of a lower sliding section of the guard.

With reference more in detail to the drawings, it will be seen that I have designated a well known typeof washingimachme, a

portion of which is'shownvin Figure l by the reference character ,M, the same being :provided with a a well known type of clothes CLOTHES wnnvenns 1931. 'se'riai No. 528,421.

pair ofrelativelyjspaced parallel guide bars 55 5"provided at their upper ends with hook portions 6 adapted to engage over the upper frame member of the wringer W. The hook portions 6 are connected together by a con necting bar 7 7 6o The'guide bars'5 extend parallel to the vertical frame members of the wringer and at theirlower ends are secured to said frame members of the wringer through the medium of set screws 8. V e5 Supported between theguide bars 5 isa sectional shield'or apron comprising a pair of'upper sections 9 and 10 hingedly connected together as at 11 and a lowersection 12. Section 9 atrits upper edge, and at each end thereof is provided withpintles 12' and '13 extendin'gthrough openings 14 provided adjacent the upperfiportion ofthe 'guide'bar 5. Apron section 10 at'its'lower edge and at each end thereof-is provided with guide pins or projections 15engageable with vertical slots 16 provided 'insaid guide'bars 5.

I Guide bars 5 at theirilower ends are provided with wings or lug'sl? having'vertical channel guides '18 for accommodating the so ends of the flower shield orv apron section l2. (SeeiFiguresS-aIId 7.)

When the sections '9, 10 and 12 are in vertical alinement, the same cooperate to provide a shield or curtain disposed to one side of the wringer, Acombined .feeder and tray 19 is provided at its; lower longitudinal edge with a rod'20 eXtendingllongitUdinally thereo'fandsuitablyfixed thereto, and the ends of: the rod 20 extend through suitable openings provided therefor in the lower portions of the lugs or wings 17. v r v Thus the tray 19 is pivotally supported for swinging movement toward and away from the shield formed by the sections 9,L10,and 12 as clearlysug'gestedin Figure 5, I 7

A substantially :U-shaped pivot bar 21:is suitably connected, at its ends .witl1,,the,,rod f 20, and'the? intermediateportionrof;the pivot mu bar 21 is receivable in sleeves 22 provided on the lowermost edge of the section 12.

Rod at one end thereof is provided with a crank arm or handle 23 provided with a return bend 24 merging into a lateral projection or pintle 25 provided intermediate its ends with a top collar 26. A Connecting link 27 is pivotally engaged with the free end of the projection 25 as at 27 and the upper end of link 27 is pivotallyconnected as at 29 to a lateral projection 12a provided at the end of the pintle 12.

From what has scribed, it will be apparent, that the parts are normally in the position shown in Fig ures 1, 2 and 5. When it is desired to feed clothes to the rolls of the wringers W, the clothes are first placed on the tray 19, and the tray 19 is then swunginwardly toward the wringer and by reason of the connection between rod 20 and shield or apron section 12, and the connection between rod 20 and the pintle 12', this swinging movement of the tray 19 toward the wringer, will cause 1. section 9 to swing about its pivot, and thus draw section 10 upwardly in folded position with respect to section 9 so that said sections 9 and 10 will assume the dotted line position shown in Figure 5. At the same time, section 12 will be caused to slide vertically downwardly and tray 19 is then enabled to assume the dotted line position shown in Figure 5 for feeding the clothes therefrom between the rollers of the wringer.

Upon swingingtray 19 away from the wringer to the full line position shown in Figure 5, shield or apron section 9, 10 and 12 will assume their former or normal position to substantially close one side of the wringerwhereupon the possibility of the operators fingers being caught between the rolls of the wringer is obviated.

If desired, the curtain structure and guide bar 5 may be duplicated on the other side of the wringer, to provide a guard for both sides of the wringer.

It is thought that operation, construction and utility of an invention of this character will be had by those skilled in the art without a more detailed description.

It will be also apparent'that a guard of this character can be readily applied to a conventional wringer without in any wise requiring alteration in the structure of the wringer, and further, that such a guard is also capable of functioning somewhat in the nature of a feed for the wringer so that the clothes may be fed to the wringer without requiring the hands of the launderer approaching dangerously close to the winger.

Even though I have herein shown and de scribed the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of changes, modifications and been hereinbefore de from the foregoing, the

what

ly between said guide bars, and means for effecting a folding of said relatively foldable section and sliding movement of said slidable sections simultaneously.

2. A guard for a clothes wringer comprising in combination a curtain for disposition on one side of said clothes wringer and including a swingably mounted section, and a vertically slidable section, a pivotally mounted tray, supporting means therefor, and means operatively connecting said tray with the sections of said curtain for effecting a movement of said swinging and slidable sections simultaneously with the swinging movement of said tray. 7 r

3. A guard for a washing machine comprising in combination a curtain, means for supporting the same on the wringer, said ourtain including a pair of hingedly connected sections, means for pivotally mounting one of said sections, guide'means for the other of said sections for constraining said other sections to slide vertically upon swinging movement of said pivoted section, a pivotally mounted tray, supporting means therefor, said tray adapted to swing inwardly toward said wringer for feeding clothes to the rolls of said wringer, and means operatively connecting .said tray with said pivotally mounted curtain section for transmitting the movement of said tray to said) pivotally mounted curtain section.

- 4. A guard for washing machines comprising in combination a pair of guide bars adapted to be mounted in spaced relation on the wringer, a curtain including a pivoted section mounted between said guide bars, a second section hinged to said pivoted section and provided with projections engageable in slots in said guide bars, a third section slidably mounted between said guide bars, a pivotally mounted tray and means for simultaneously actuating said pivotally mounted section, said slidable section and said tray.

5. A guard for cooperating wringer rolls comprising a foldable guard member pivotally mounted laterally of the wringer rolls, a slidable guard member alining with the first named guard member when the same is in an unfolded position, and a pivoted tray connected with the pivot of the foldable guard member and with the sliding guard member for transmitting its movement to said pivot and said sliding guard member, and means causing said first named guard member to fold and unfold according to the direction of rotation of said pivot.

6. In combination with cooperating wringer rolls, a foldable guard member pivoted on an axis parallel to the axis of one of said rolls, a second guard member normally disposed adjacent to and laterally of a second one of said rolls and constrained to slide toward and away from the pivot of the first named guard member, a tray member pivoted laterally at the second named guard member and adapted to swing inwardly toward said rolls when the first named guard member is in a folded condition, and the second named guard member has moved away from said pivot, means for connecting said tray with said sliding guard member, and additional means connecting said tray with the pivot of said foldable guard member whereby said guard members and said tray are actuated simultaneously.

7. In combination with a wringer having cooperating rolls, a safety guard disposed to one side of the rolls and including cooperating shield members constrained to shift'in a vertical plane and in opposite directions with respect to one another, guide means for the shield members, a pivotally mounted tray arranged to swing inwardly between the shield members to extend toward the rolls of the wringer, and means for simultaneously shifting said shield members relative to one another, and for swinging saidtray about its pivot.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN SCHAFFER. 

